A/N Okay so I'm not intentionally being horrid here. There are three chapters left, and guess which week I am off to a trip to Berlin? Yep, in two weeks, when the last chapter is due. It also happens to be the week Doctor Who starts so I am screwed mentally, I think that is punishment because of this chapter timing shit. Sorry, but think of it this way. I will be crying in Berlin while you guys enjoy Doctor Who instead of reading the last chapter. I've rambled on long enough.

I had done it, I had turned into an Animagus, a lion!

A moan escaped my lips as I noticed pain in my head.

Urgh, What had happened? I was chasing after Remus, he ran into the Forbidden Forest and – and I ran into a bloody tree! How could I become more of a fool?

Where was I anyway?

"Shocking business... shocking... miracle none of them died... never heard the like... by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape..."

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there... Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister..."

"No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape... They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now... I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves... and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster –"

"Ah, well, Snape... Harry Potter, you know... we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet - is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended - at the very least - for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister - against all school rules - after all the precautions put in place for his protection - out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer - and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too –"

"Well, well... we shall see, Snape, we shall see... The boy has undoubtedly been foolish..."

"What amazes me most is the behaviour of the Dementors... you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister... by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances..."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl –"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

"And what about your Godchild? Miss Malfoy?"

"I found her knocked out in the forest, ran away in fright I suppose."

That git! He is still pretending to be my Godfather after lying all this time!

I quickly opened my eyes to see my surroundings, I was in the Hospital Wing, my bed was close to the door, Fudge's and Sev's voices carried through the open doors. I hurriedly shut my eyes, my head really hurt.

"Ah, you're awake!" Madam Pomfrey's voice said briskly from acros the room. What? How could she tell?

"How's Ron?" Harry and Hermione said together. Oh she's talking to them, but how did they get here?

"He'll live" said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're - Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

I turned my head to the back of the room and opened my eyes to see what was going on. Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," Madam Pomfrey said soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now –"

"WHAT?" I yelled sitting up. I winced, shouting doesn't help my head. Harry and Hermione had done the same. The next second Fudge and Sev had entered the ward.

"Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed - has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's-"

Fudge was smiling and shaking his head.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control..."

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing at Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and –"

"You see, Minister?" said Sev. "Confunded, both of them... Black's done a very good job on them..."

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed; I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen –"

Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; he choked, she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.

"Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."

Dumbledore swept into the room.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black –" Harry began while getting up.

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist –"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black –"

I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Sev. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive –"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Sev. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear-"

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances –"

"I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy - please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest –"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Sev, but he hadn't moved.

Sev and Dumbledore silently conversed before Sev turned on his heels and marched towards me. HE bent down and hissed quietly. "I am willing to forget your behaviour and take up the job of being your Godfather considering Black is about to be executed." He stood up straight and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth - we saw Pettigrew "

"- he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf –"

"- he's a rat –"

"- Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off –"

"- Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius –"

Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word - and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you –" Harry said. "Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little - and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends –"

"But –"

"Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"He hates Sirius," I said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him –"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady - entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife - without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"But you believe us."

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic..."

Was there no hope of saving Sirius?

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is more time."

"But –" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"

"Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law - you know what is at stake... You - must - not - be - seen."

Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door. Flitwick's office, seventh floor. Seventh window from the right of the West Tower.

"I am going to lock you in. It is –" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.

"Harry, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"

Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. There was saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.

"Here –"

She had thrown the chain around his neck too.

"Ready?" she said breathlessly.

"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.

Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.

I watched in amazement as they faded from view. What the hell just happened? How was I going to help Sirius?

If Dumbledore hadn't locked the door I could have cast a Disillusion spell and snuck past them, but how would we get out of the tower? And past the Dementors, I haven't mastered the Patronus Spell.

I needed to Apparate, but you can't do that on Hogwarts' grounds, and I couldn't, I was too young and hadn't got the skill.

My eyes lit up, I heaved myself out of bed and said.

"Kreacher!"

As the house elf appeared I took a large chunk of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey's desk and hastily shoved it in my robes.

"Nash?" Kreacher bowed. "What does little Mistress desire?"

"Kreacher, I need you to take me up to Flitwick's office on the seventh floor." I swiftly cast a disillusion spell on the two of us.

Kreacher grabbed the bottom of my robes and clicked his fingers, we were gone just as three figures rushed in.